Today's Mudline

March 3, 2015

South Dakota state Sen. Isaac Latterell on Planned Parenthood: "Worse than ISIS."....Keith Olbermann on Penn State students: "Pitiful."....Bill O'Reilly on David Corn: "A left-wing assassin...A guttersnipe liar...I expect [him] to be in the kill zone. Where he deserves to be."....Corn on O'Reilly: "It's impossible to win a debate with O'Reilly because he is not bound by reality."....Rudy Giuliani: "I don't believe the president loves America. He doesn't love you. He doesn't love me."....NY Daily News on Giuliani: "Loves America. But apparently he hates Barack Obama even more."....David Axelrod on Giuliani: "A fading politician, kind of lighting himself on fire and trying to get some attention."....Sally Kohn on Giuliani remarks: "Narrow-minded, ugly and just plain offensive."....Hannibal Buress on fans: "Stop calling me your f***ing spirit animal."....

Blowback

A clean, well-lit place to vent

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USED

Ed Williamson | Penrose, CO | December 20, 2010

What you gay right advocates do not understand is that you proved to the military leaders that their opinion is irrelevant and you will not listen. If you had listened, you would have heard that the 70% of the military that said that gays could serve are the very ones that will now try to get out of their eight-year enlistment contracts by claiming their religious rights do not allow them to serve with gays! You were used and you fell for it.

FIRST TIME

Sherman Dorn | Tampa, FL | December 20, 2010

I opened today's paper, saw the continuation of last week's storyline on DADT, and realized that for the first time I can recall in 40 years, Congress acted on an issue before Doonesbury had finished satirizing inaction.

DOOMED

Treva Obbard | CALIFORNIA | December 19, 2010

Go Sam! When did she get savvy like that? B.D.'s doomed if his women are ganging up on him.

ABOUT TIME

Donald R. Shirley | Las Vegas, NV | December 18, 2010

I see today that the Senate finally voted to repeal the odious DADT farce. It's about time. I served thirty years and served with sailors I and everyone else in the Command knew were gay, and I am quite sure I served with many who I did not know were gay. In my years as a senior enlisted advisor to the COs I served with, I never once had a problem with a sailor because of his (or her) "gayness". Drunks, dopers, malingerers and just plain stupid sailors, yes, there were problems with all of these, but never a problem with a gay person because of their sexual activities or conduct. It's about time the old dinosaurs like McCain and General Amos move into the twenty-first century and quit spouting their tired homophobia disguised as concern for the troops.

THE DADT ISSUE

Richard | Olympia, WA | December 18, 2010

I really appreciate the sensitivity and depth with which you approach the DADT issue. As usual, politicians are testing the wind, looking for a lever, considering their options. Your character has reason to be wary. While the services shoot themselves in the foot by discharging (I hope it's not a UD or DD; prolly GD) capable people. I don't recall liking everyone I served with, but I did strongly prefer people who were steady and capable under stress. I did not inquire about their sexual preferences at the time. It does seem stupid and rude in the extreme to discharge capable service members when they're way down on brains in the Army anyway. Oh, yeah, Facebook. I've told my kids, and I keep this promise; never write anything on a computer that you don't want read on the Six O'Clock News, or in a court of law. Merry Christmas to all.

NOT A SOCIOPATH

Larry S. | Delaware, OH | December 18, 2010

Jeff is self-absorbed and narcissistic, but he's not a sociopath. The latter know what they're doing and they intentionally harm others for the sake of their own self-aggrandizement. If Jeff would just withdraw his head from the proverbial you-know-where, he'd be fine.

WHERE YOU ARE TAKING MELISSA

Stephanie Bolduc | Natick, MA | December 18, 2010

I love where you are taking Melissa this week. As a (liberal) Army civilian employee, I work with a number of former infantrymen who are against the DADT repeal. Thursday's strip summarizes better than I ever could why the ban is ridiculous. On a side note, never mind the naysayers, I want to see what happens when Melissa and Jeff get together!

THE DADT ISSUE

Ken Meyerkorth | New York, NY | December 18, 2010

I must admit, in the 20 or so years of reading Doonesbury, this thread on the DADT issue is a pretty good representation. I knew several gay soldiers when I served and had no issues with them nor they with me because we had the common soldiers bond. DADT shouldnt be a law; discriminating against anyone in the military is just wrong. And when DADT is repealed, it is just as well that Women should be allowed to participate in Combat Arms on the front lines. I know plenty of women that can sit front seat in an Apache or fly an A10 just as well or better than most men. And a few that can even outshoot me.

I have been a fan of the strip for more than 30 years. I just want to say that today's strip is up there with the biggest highlights of all that time: topical, human, and vitally important. And somehow still wryly amusing. You might just have struck the greatest blow against DADT yet.

TERRIFIC IRONY

Derick | San Antonio, TX | December 15, 2010

Terrific irony that Zuckerberg is named Time magazine's Man of the Year on the same day that the Melissa concludes "Facebook really is evil!"

Pvt. Illegible-Name-Tag's girlfriend must feel awful about the result of what should have been some harmless venting...

THE REDFERN FAMILY

Tony Phillilps | Chicago, IL | December 14, 2010

It's amazing how Jeff Redfern elicits sympathy and hope for his redemption among readers. People struggle to imagine him as just a misguided, nice boy -- ripe for enlightenment. But really, every evidence we've been given indicates that he's not just a goof living a fantasy, but that he's a sociopath with no perspective, no idea of the consequences, a creature of sheer impulse. He may not be evil by intent -- he does dream of himself as hero -- but it's clear by his actions, not his dreams, that it's all and only about himself.

It's time to give him to Uncle Duke. They so deserve each other. We all know how evil breeds evil, but GBT deserves thanks for his reflection on this more subtle aspect of the brave new world, where these amoral or apathetic creatures are bred by people of some decency who are just too busy or confused to really take a clear hold of what's involved in parenting. Has that not been the Redfern family?

THE ABSURDITY

James Johnson | Wiesbaden, GERMANY | December 14, 2010

Today's strip could not have pointed out in a more appropriate way the absurdity of not allowing gays and lesbians to serve their country openly. Sending a Warrior home from war where her brothers and sisters in arms depended on her to do her job of combat support or combat service support, and where her Soldiers depended upon her for her leadership*, because of her sexual orientation** is a crime. Guess what, people; they're here, they're queer, and they can shoot, move, communicate, sustain and survive. DADT will end sooner or later just like segregation ended. Deal with it or get the hell out of my Army!

* I am, of course, making a huge asumption that she is also an NCO, by the casual tone of her conversation with Melissa, who we know to be an NCO.

** Also, I am assuming that she's not getting "disharged" for engaging in behavior forbidden by UCMJ or by any other lawful, in-theater order given by the appropriate combatant commander or any other officer in her chain of command. The "don't ask, don't tell" nature of the dialogue makes me think I'm right in my assumption.

RE "FIFTY MILLION DOLLARS"

Maryhelen Posey | Calgary, CANADA | December 14, 2010

Mr. Overkill is undoubtedly stupid in some ways, but come on -- Jeff is older than some of the troops who have been trusted with reconstruction funds. Let's not insult them in an effort to whitewash Jeff.

READY

Curtis | Mustang, OK | December 14, 2010

Yep, I can see where this is going. You've been teasing us for a long time, and now you're ready to pull a changeup.

POWERFUL

Stacy | St. Peters, MO | December 14, 2010

Today's strip was indeed powerful in its quiet message. It took me a second to catch, but then I truly appreciated the way you presented this. Well done.

"Mom? I want to come home." Could Jeff have finally learned his lesson and be ready to leave his fantasy life and join the real world? Jeff might have a future as a writer of thrillers, with his proven ability to write fiction and his experience in the CIA, Iraq, and Afghanistan. That's how Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond, got started. But please -- no Jeff and Melissa, okay? Melissa, who has recovered from command rape and become a leader in her own right, deserves so much better than Jeff and his on-line fantasies.